Lord’s Taverners return to activity guidance

Through our programmes, Lord’s Taverners work with some of the most vulnerable young people across the UK. We know that our projects provide valuable provision for our participants and consequently we are all eager to return to activity as soon as it is safe to do so. With recent changes to government restrictions, we are now in a position where we can deliver to small groups as per government and ECB guidance.

N.B. Initially, this will only be for Super 1s and Wicketz hubs based at cricket clubs. It is our expectation that this will be extended to other outdoor community environments in the coming weeks. Lord’s Taverners will notify all delivery partners when this is appropriate. There is currently no capacity for indoor delivery across our programmes.

Under current guidance, we are not in a position to deliver any Table Cricket activity and this remains under review.

Guidelines to delivering sessions

For all sessions, it is essential that current ECB guidance for cricket activity is always adhered to. The latest guidance can be found here. The key points of these guidelines are summarised at the end of this document – Appendix A.

Before any return to delivery takes place, you must notify the Lord’s Taverners programme manager for approval.

Super 1s Programme Manager: Mark Bond – mark.bond@lordstaverners.org

Wicketz Programme Manager: Dan Wilson – dan.wilson@lordstaverners.org

 

Coaching resources

• For ideas around how to adapt your coaching sessions to meet socially distanced regulations, we recommend you visit https://icoachcricket.ecb.co.uk/ for a wide range of ideas.

Risk Assessment

• Prior to activity, you must complete a risk assessment outlining measures to be put in place and monitored.
• You must ensure that all host cricket clubs have completed a risk assessment and have measures in place in accordance with the guidance.

Safeguarding

• For children, activity is restricted to a maximum group size of 30. This includes any adult or support staff who is active in the sessions. Groups should be split into sub-groups of a maximum of 15 participants per sub-group, not breaching the total of 30 including coaches and support staff.
• All sessions must include one qualified coach per group plus additional adult(s) required to meet cricket safeguarding ratios (1:8 aged 8 and under, 1:10 aged 9 and over). All groups are to be self-sufficient e.g. a coach cannot oversee two separate groups.
• With groups of young disabled people, we recommend reducing group sizes as much as possible to ensure social distancing is adhered to. It is vital that adaptations and guidelines are clearly communicated to parents and guardians ahead of sessions to ensure safe social distancing throughout your sessions.
• Any individual who is currently being asked to shield due to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 must not attend any sessions until such a time that it is safe for them to do so. Government and Healthcare Provider guidance must be adhered to at all times.
• As per your contract, the responsibility of running sessions remains with the County Cricket Board and any issues should be reported to Lord’s Taverners immediately

 

Appendix A

 

Adaptations for all outdoor activity – ECB guidelines

 

Prior to all cricket activity

• All participants (players, coaches, officials, volunteers and spectators) should check for symptoms of COVID-19. In line with current UK Government Guidance, if an individual is symptomatic and/or living in a household with a possible COVID-19 infection they should remain at home and follow UK Government guidance. In addition, any participants who have been asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they are a contact of a known COVID-19 case, must not exercise outside their home or garden and must not exercise with others.
• Participants should follow UK Government guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 (found here) if it applies to them.
• Participants should comply with all public health restrictions and avoid high risk behaviour outside the sports setting to reduce the risk to their fellow participants when they do attend a cricket club or venue.
• Personal hygiene measures should be carried out at home before and after cricket activity.
• Participants should bring their own hand sanitiser where possible and maintain strict and frequent hand hygiene measures at all times.
• Participants should follow UK Government guidance on best practice for travel, including minimising the use of public transport and limiting car sharing (found here).
• Use of the clubhouse, changing rooms and toilets should adhere to the latest UK Government guidance.
• For advice on reducing the risk of infection when outside your home see here.
• Club representatives should ensure that the facility is compliant with current UK Government legislation including legislation and guidance related to COVID-19. A risk assessment should have been completed and risk mitigation measures put in place and monitored in accordance with the ECB’s guidance on Getting your Clubhouse and Ground Ready for Step 4.
• Club representatives should make all participants aware of expected social distancing and hygiene measures during play and whilst on site.
• Clubs should strictly limit the time spent congregating at a venue before activity begins. Meet-up times should reflect this. Participants should arrive changed and ready to begin the warm-up, if possible.
• Club representatives should make all participants aware of the increase in transmission risk associated with partaking in even socially distanced group activity and should ensure that all participants are clear that they are opting to participate in cricket activity.
• For advice on reducing the risk of infection when outside your home, see here.

 

During all cricket activity

• Cricket activity must take place outdoors only.
• 11-a-side cricket can return as long as groups are limited to a maximum of 30 participants, including coaches and officials.
• Participants should enter the site and prepare their personal equipment whilst maintaining social distancing.
• Where possible players should limit sharing of equipment. If they do, they must practise strict hand hygiene before and after use and the equipment must be cleaned before use by another person. More information is available here.
• No sweat or saliva is to be applied to the ball at any time.
• All participants should sanitise their hands prior to the start of the activity.
• Hand sanitiser should be used at all breaks in activity and prior to consuming any food or drinks.
• Players should refrain from spitting or rinsing out their mouths.
• In line with current UK Government guidance, clubs should not prepare food for participants. Individuals should bring their own food and drink for ‘teas’ or practice. Water bottles or other refreshment containers should not be shared.

 

After all cricket activity

• All participants should sanitise their hands after the completion of activity.
• Participants should exit whilst maintaining social distancing.
• Social gathering after the activity will be allowed in line with current UK Government guidelines on hospitalityand social distancing must be maintained. ECB guidance is available here.
• One club representative/volunteer should be responsible for collecting and disinfecting any shared equipment.
• Regular cleaning of equipment and the facility should take place, particularly between one group finishing, and the next group starting.
• Clubs should encourage all participants to report any infection of their household to the NHS Test and Trace system following use of the facility to limit the spread of the virus. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works

 

Additional advice for training & other activity

• Where participants cannot provide their own individual equipment, we recommend numbering cricket equipment such as balls, so that each participant has a specific numbered ball and/or cone and uses that for the entirety of the session to minimise sharing of equipment where possible.
• If bowling machines are used, they should be cleaned thoroughly between uses with dry cleaning products and all balls should be cleaned with disinfectant. This is the responsibility of the bowling machine operator.

 

Additional Advice for Children’s Activity

• For children, activity is restricted to a maximum group size of 30. This includes any adult or support staff who is active in the sessions. Groups should be split into sub-groups of a maximum of 15 participants per sub-group.
• All sessions must include one qualified coach per group plus additional adult(s) required to meet cricket safeguarding ratios (1:8 aged 8 and under, 1:10 aged 9 and over). All groups are to be self-sufficient e.g. a coach cannot oversee two separate groups.
• Parents should drop off and collect participants via a protocol that maintains social distancing.
• Parents should remain socially distanced on the side-line.
• For younger age groups, plastic equipment should be used and should be disinfected at the end of each session.
• Example junior cricket activity can be found at here.
• It is recommended that participants take part in solo activity, before moving to pairs activity that maintains social distancing and allows participants to operate in the same pair for the length of the session.

 

Additional Advice for Coaches

These measures cannot cover every eventuality and coaches must conduct a risk assessment, ensuring appropriate measures are put in place to keep participants and coaches safe.

Playing and coaching cricket in itself carries some degree of risk and whilst being mindful of the guidelines regarding COVID-19, coaches should not lose sight of the normal safety rules or safeguarding standards relating to playing and coaching cricket which continue to apply and must be complied with (DBS, safeguarding, First Aid etc).

• Coaches should make themselves aware of and abide by, all guidelines set out by the UK Government, the venue and ECB regarding use of facilities.
• It is the coach's responsibility to ensure that they coach players in a safe environment and follow relevant guidelines.
• Coach should explain the safety guidelines of what is expected pre, during and post session including what the player is expected to do to maintain compliance with social distancing guidelines and all other health and safety guidelines.